Aloha, Mozart by Waimea Williams Giveaway and review

About the Book - About the Author - Prizes!!!

Welcome to Novel Publicity's latest publishing house blog tour. Join us as two new titles from Luminis Books--we're calling them the Luminis Duo--tour the blogosphere in a way that just can't be ignored. And, hey, we've got prizes!

About the book: Would you risk your life--or your soul--for the sake of art? Born into an impoverished Hawaiian family in the 1960s, Maile Manoa's quest for a life in music lures her to the high-stakes world of European opera. In Salzburg, Austria she attracts the attentions of powerful men and falls in love--with a troubled young musician, with the city, and the intrigue that surrounds her. When Werner von Wehlen, the famous conductor at the center of Salzburg's glamorous music festival, offers her a leading role, she is forced to confront the Nazi heart of the classical music scene and von Wehlen's treacherous past. With Soviet tanks threatening to invade the city on the evening of her much-anticipated premiere, Maile must choose between recognition on the world stage or leaving the city with her life--and her conscience--intact. This debut novel hits all the right notes--following in the spell-casting footsteps of Ann Patchett's Bel Canto. Pick up your copy of this Literary/ Historical through Amazon US, Amazon UK, or Barnes & Noble.

About the author: Originally from Hawaii, Waimea Williams spent a decade in Austria and Germany as an opera singer and has received fiction awards from Glimmer Train, The Lorian Hemingway Competition, and Salamander Review. She has enjoyed the honor of a writing residency at the Ragdale Foundation, and her short story “Vienna Quartet With Dog” received First Prize from the Charlton Review in 2012. She currently lives near Honolulu. Connect with Waimea on her website, Facebook, or GoodReads.

About the prizes: Who doesn't love prizes? You could win either of two $25 Amazon gift cards, an autographed copy of Aloha, Mozart by Waimea Williams, or an autographed copy of its tour mate, Maybe I Will by Laurie Gray. Here's what you need to do...

1. Enter the Rafflecopter contest
2. Leave a comment on my blog.

That's it! One random commenter during this tour will win a $25 gift card. Visit more blogs for more chances to win--the full list of participating bloggers can be found here. The other $25 gift card and the 3 autographed books will be given out via Rafflecopter. You can find the contest entry form linked below or on the official Luminis Duo tour page via Novel Publicity. Good luck! Luminis Books was launched in January, 2010 by husband and wife team Tracy Richardson and Chris Katsaropoulos with a mission to publish thought-provoking literary fiction for children and adults. We publish what we love: Meaningful Books That Entertain. Our award-winning books engage and inform readers and explore a wide range of topics from love and relationships, teen sexual assault and homelessness to string theory, consciousness, and the Universal Energy Field. Luminis Books is a proudly independent publisher located in Carmel, IN. Learn more at www.luminisbooks.com.  

Learn more about Aloha, Mozart's tour mate HERE.

My Review:
This is a sad and sweet story at the same time. It is sad because there are so many children out there that do not have the right resources to learn all they should. Maile never heard music before, and the first time she heard it changed her life forever. She knew that her future was going to involve music. She makes it "big" and sings opera. However yet again circumstances beyond her control threaten her life, and her love of music. I am not sure what I would choose. This book definitely made me think about how some people have to work really hard to reach their goals, and how they never give up. I also liked the end. At first I was surprised at Maile's decision, however the very last line made me feel better! I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own.